The present invention relates to shelves, such as shelves for use in an appliance.
Shelves, including shelves for use in appliances, such as refrigeration appliances, are well known. In a refrigeration appliance, shelves are known which can be moved between adjustable positions, such as by utilzing shelf supporting brackets which can be removably attached to shelf ladders. Examples of these constructions are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,273,354, 5,362,145, 5,403,084, 5,429,433 5,441,338, 5,641,217, and 5,735,589. Some of these patents also disclose shelves having support surfaces that are slidable relative to the shelf frame. Those that have frames with cross members extending between the supporting brackets require that there be a direct mechanical connection, such as welding between the cross members and the supporting brackets, thus requiring assembly time, tools and materials for such connections.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,880 and some of the previous patents disclose a shelf where the support surface of the shelf is encapsulated in a plastic material. U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,584 discloses a mechanical control knob located at a front side of a refrigerator shelf for use in mechanically adjusting the vertical position of the shelf by operation of a gear mechanism. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,179,434 and 6,558,017 disclose refrigeration appliances having lighting fixtures carried on a front edge of shelves to provide varying light distribution to vertically separated zones within the appliance.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,644, a movable shelf is used to seal off an isolated portion of a refrigerator or freezer compartment to permit a modification of the temperature in that portion.
In refrigeration appliances, different zones may be provided with arrangements to allow for different cooling temperatures to be achieved and maintained in the different zones. In some instances, zones created with drawers, sometimes referred to as crisper drawers, achieve different cooling or humidity results through the use of manually adjustable slides.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,813,896, an arrangement is provided for providing a user interface on a shelf to control a microenvironment within the refrigerator, partially bounded by the shelf. No provisions are made for routing or securing the electrical conductors leading from the user interface to the rear of the shelf.